18 districts in Bihar are at high risk for human trafficking and missing children.
Patna. Eighteen districts in Bihar have been identified as highly sensitive and ‘high-risk’ regarding human trafficking and cases of missing children. Special vigilance is required in these districts—including the capital, Patna—regarding incidents of child disappearances and human trafficking. According to experts, Bihar is not merely affected as a single type of zone; rather, the state plays a role at all three levels: source, destination, and transit.
Several critical facts regarding the grave situation of human trafficking were presented on Saturday during a one-day Eastern Regional Conference held at Gyan Bhawan in Patna, which focused on the issues of missing children and human trafficking. Experts and relevant officials at the conference emphasized the need for better coordination and joint action among states to curb human trafficking and the disappearance of children.
18 Districts in the High-Risk Category
It was revealed at the conference that 18 districts in Bihar are considered highly sensitive regarding human trafficking and missing children; the capital, Patna, is among them. Given the risks of children going missing, being lured away to other locations, and falling victim to organized human trafficking, the conference stressed the need to strengthen surveillance and preventive measures.
Experts state that the disappearance of children and human trafficking are often interconnected events. Therefore, merely registering a complaint about a missing child is insufficient; every case needs to be investigated from the potential angle of trafficking as well. This requires effective coordination among the police, administration, child protection agencies, and other relevant bodies.
Bihar Affected at All Three Levels
Bihar’s situation regarding human trafficking is particularly concerning because the state is affected in three distinct roles. People and children are taken from Bihar to other states, making it a ‘source state.’ Conversely, instances of victims being brought into Bihar from other states have also been reported, meaning the state is also affected as a ‘destination.’ Furthermore, Bihar is also being used as a transit route to transport victims from one state to another. According to experts, a strategy to combat human trafficking needs to be formulated with these three aspects in mind.
Cases Linked to Multiple States and Nepal
It was highlighted at the conference that cases involving the trafficking of victims into Bihar from Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Nepal have been identified. This makes it evident that the human trafficking network is not confined to state boundaries; rather, it extends to other states and the neighboring country of Nepal.
Similarly, cases of human trafficking originating from Bihar to states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Odisha have come to light. Thus, several routes for the movement of victims from Bihar to other states have been identified.
Experts emphasized that immediate information sharing between state police forces and relevant departments is crucial for taking action in such human trafficking cases. If an individual or child involved in a complaint registered in one state is located in another, information must be promptly provided to the local agencies.
Emphasis on Inter-State Coordination
Inter-state coordination was identified as one of the most critical measures for effective action against human trafficking. Experts noted that since trafficking networks transcend state borders, the response must also extend beyond state boundaries and be executed in a coordinated manner.
A similar mechanism was deemed necessary for tracing missing children. If there is a suspicion that a child has been taken to another state, immediate contact should be established with the police and child protection agencies of that state. This could increase the likelihood of recovering the child.
Need for Integrated Action
At the conference, experts stressed the need to adopt an integrated strategy rather than relying solely on police action in human trafficking cases. A collaborative approach involving the police, administration, child protection units, social organizations, and other relevant entities could play a vital role.
According to experts, protecting children from trafficking requires strengthening the entire process—encompassing prevention, identification, rescue, rehabilitation, and post-rehabilitation monitoring. At the same time, focus must be placed on conducting awareness campaigns in vulnerable areas and educating families about child safety.
Vigilance Essential Amidst Growing Challenges
Data and facts presented at the Eastern Regional Conference held at Gyan Bhawan starkly highlighted the serious challenges posed by human trafficking and missing children in Bihar. The fact that 18 districts fall into the ‘high-risk’ category, and that the state is affected as a source, destination, and transit point, is a matter of grave concern.
Experts emphasized the need for continuous information sharing among states, joint operations, swift action, and victim rehabilitation to tackle this challenge. The conference conveyed a clear message: the efforts of a single state or department would be insufficient to combat crimes like human trafficking. Strengthening effective inter-state coordination and integrated action is essential.
